Heat Treatment of Low Carbon High Strength Wear Resistant Cast Steel NMZ1

Low carbon high strength wear resistant cast steel NMZ1 is a type of low-alloyed steel with excellent wear resistance properties. It is commonly used in the mining industry and in other industries where superior wear-resistance is required. NMZ1 possesses a high concentration of carbon and chrome as well as a low level of alloying elements. This provides excellent resistance to both abrasion and impact, making it an ideal choice for high-wear applications such as dredging equipment and train components. In order to maximize the wear resistance of NMZ1 steel, careful heat treatment is required.
    
Heat Treatment of NMZ1 Steel
    
Heat treatment is a vital part of achieving maximum wear-resistance with NMZ1 steel. The process begins with Solution Annealing, which is commonly performed in a furnace at temperatures around 960 °C. During this process, all carbides present in the steel are dissolved into an austenite phase. Following Solution Annealing, a cooling process is administered such as air cooling or water quenching, preferably to temperatures below 100 °C.
    
After this initial Solution Annealing, Temper Rolling is often the next step of the heat treatment. This consists in recrystallizing the martensite phase at temperatures of 540 to 620 °C. Following this process, the NMZ1 steel can either be re-soaked at the same temperature in order to further refine grain size, or cooled to room temperature without re-soaking.
    
Finally, the last step for optimizing the wear resistance of NMZ1 steel is Tempering. This step requires heating the steel at temperatures of 320 to 670 °C for 1 to 3 hours. The tempering temperature is determined by how hard the steel needs to be, taking into account the intended usage. Following tempering, the steel can be further cooled for stress relief.

Conclusion
    
Low carbon high strength wear resistant cast steel NMZ1 is an excellent choice for applications requiring superior wear-resistance. In order to maximize the wear resistance of this steel, it is necessary to undergo a multi-step heat treatment process consisting of Solution Annealing, Temper Rolling, and Tempering. The temperatures utilized during each step must be carefully monitored and controlled in order to achieve the desired properties and ensure long-lasting performance.

---